Vacuum painting apparatus

Abstract

A vacuum painting apparatus has movable entry and exit ports which compensate for bending or twisting of the strip material being painted. The entry and exit port templates are connected together by four compression struts. A spring-loaded slidable seal is provided around the periphery of each of the entry and exit port templates, sealing the templates to the box structure of the vacuum painting apparatus. The templates use either "Z" or "C" shaped parts each having first and second ends and a web therebetween, with one end having larger dimensions than the other end. A first set of guide roller assemblies is positioned at the entry port on the exterior of the apparatus, while a second set of guide roller assemblies is positioned at the exist port on the interior of the apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for vacuum painting a strip material, comprising: an application chamber having first and second opposing walls, each of said walls having an interior surface and an exterior surface, said first wall having a first opening and said second wall having a second opening;   a first template having a third opening smaller than said first opening, said first template being rollably attached to the exterior surface of said first wall, and substantially covering said first opening;   a second template having a fourth opening smaller than said second opening, said second template being rollably attached to the exterior surface of said second wall, and substantially covering said second opening; and   a plurality of compression struts joining said first template to said second template.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of compression struts comprises four such struts. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said compression struts pass through said first and said second openings in said opposing walls. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to claim 3 including in addition thereto, first seal means slidably connected between said first template and the exterior surface of said first wall, and second seal means slidably connected between said second template and the exterior surface of said second wall. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein each of said first and second seal means is spring-loaded. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said third and fourth openings is "Z" shaped, each of said third and fourth openings having first and second ends and a web therebetween, the dimensions of each of said first ends being greater than the dimensions of each of said second ends. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said third and fourth openings is "C" shaped, each of said third and fourth openings having first and second ends and a web therebetween, the dimensions of each of said first ends being greater than the dimensions of each of said second ends. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said first and second templates has an interior surface and an exterior surface, and including in addition thereto at least one pair of guide roller assemblies mounted on the exterior surfaces of said first template on opposite sides of said third opening, and at least one pair of guide roller assemblies mounted on the interior surface of said second template on opposite sides of said fourth opening. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said at least one pair of guide roller assemblies mounted on the interior surface of said second template comprises: first and second blocks, together forming a converging angle for receiving the strip material being painted and together forming a diverging angle for releasing the strip material being painted; and   first and second roller wheels mounted, respectively, in said first and second blocks in opposing relationship to each other.   
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the dimension of said fourth opening is greater than the widest separation of said first and second blocks in providing said diverging angle. 
     
     
       11. A subassembly for use in a vacuum painting apparatus for painting strip material, comprising: a first template having a first opening for receiving the strip material to be painted;   a second template having a second opening for releasing the painted strip material; and   four compression struts connected between said first and second templates, wherein each of said first and second templates has an interior surface and an exterior surface, and including in addition thereto at least one pair of guide roller assemblies mounted on the exterior surface of said first template on opposite sides of said first opening, and at least one pair of guide roller assemblies mounted on the interior surface of said second template on opposite sides of said second opening.   
     
     
       12. The subassembly according to claim 11 wherein said at least one pair of guide roller assemblies mounted on the interior surface of said second template comprises: first and second blocks, together forming a converging angle for receiving the strip material being painted and together forming a diverging angle for releasing the strip material being painted; and   first and second roller wheels mounted, respectively, in said first and second blocks in opposing relationship to each other.   
     
     
       13. The subassembly according to claim 12, wherein the dimension of said second opening is greater than the widest separation of said first and second blocks in providing said diverging angle. 
     
     
       14. A subassembly for use in a vacuum painting apparatus for painting strip material, comprising: a template having an opening for allowing the strip material to pass therethrough, said template having first and second surfaces; and   at least one pair of guide roller assemblies mounted on one of said first and second surfaces of said template on opposite sides of said opening, wherein said at least one pair of guide roller assemblies comprises:   first and second blocks, together forming a converging angle for receiving the strip material being painted and together forming a diverging angle for releasing the strip material being painted; and   first and second roller wheels mounted, respectfully, in said first and second blocks in opposing relationship to each other.   
     
     
       15. The subassembly according to claim 14 wherein the dimension of said opening is greater than the widest separation of said first and second blocks in providing said diverging angle. 
     
     
       16. The subassembly according to claim 14 wherein said opening is "Z" shaped and has first and second ends and a web therebetween, the dimensions of said first end being greater than the dimensions of said second end. 
     
     
       17. The subassembly according to claim 14 wherein said opening is "C" shaped and has first and second ends and a web therebetween, the dimensions of said first end being greater than the dimensions of said second end.